Tiandou Empire.
Not far from the Imperial Palace stood a luxurious mansion.
Prince Xue Xing's Estate.
Before the gates.
A carriage slowly came to a halt.
Xue Beng held several sheets of paper covered in dense writing.
Disregarding all royal decorum.
He dashed into the estate with all his might.
Running, he shouted, "Imperial Uncle! Imperial Uncle! Good news!"
"I have a major discovery regarding the investigation into the Crown Prince!"
Inside the study.
Xue Xing, who was practicing calligraphy.
Was startled by the sudden shouting outside, causing the brush in his hand to slip.
"My calligraphy!"
"Who is it?! Making such a racket, where are your manners!"
"Hmm? That voice sounds like that brat Xue Beng."
About to lose his temper, Xue Xing realized it sounded like his nephew Xue Beng's voice.
He suppressed his anger.
He tossed the ruined calligraphy from the table into the brazier.
He stood up and walked outside.
Just as he stepped out, he saw an excited, panting Xue Beng running toward him.
"Xue Beng, why are you so agitated out of nowhere?" Xue Xing asked suspiciously.
Xue Beng waved the papers in his hand.
He gasped for breath.
"Phew, Imperial Uncle, I... I've found a major discovery regarding the Crown Prince's identity!"
Xue Xing was stunned.
He looked around somewhat frantically.
He grabbed Xue Beng and hauled him into the room.
He shut the door.
He led Xue Beng into a Secret Chamber.
As soon as they entered.
He began to scold him furiously.
"Stupid!"
"Even if you found something about the Crown Prince's identity, you shouldn't have run in here shouting like that."
"Now look what you've done."
"The entire estate probably heard you."
"If there's a spy planted by the Crown Prince among them and the news gets leaked, we'll both be in serious trouble!"
Xue Xing lectured his disappointing nephew.
His words were full of helplessness.
After the Second Prince, Third Prince, and Fourth Princess were murdered one after another.
Xue Beng had come to him in the middle of the night seeking help.
He claimed outright that the one who killed those three was the current Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe.
He hoped his imperial uncle could find a way to save his life.
Regarding Xue Qinghe being the murderer.
Prince Xue Xing was naturally well aware of it.
After all, he had lived through those times himself back then.
Relying on superb acting, he had portrayed himself as having zero interest in the throne.
Coupled with his most loyal support for Xue Ye.
That was how he had escaped with his life.
Otherwise, why would Xue Ye only have one brother left?
Seeing that Xue Beng's current situation was very similar to his own back then.
Relying on that thin thread of kinship.
Xue Xing wavered and finally decided to help his nephew.
He had him pretend to be a playboy, frequenting pleasure houses all day.
This caused Xue Qinghe to completely drop his guard against him.
He thought that would be the end of it.
But then, by observing the circumstances of the other princes' deaths, he noticed something off about Xue Qinghe's identity.
The Second Prince died from excessive indulgence, and the Third Prince drowned after accidentally falling into a lake.
The Fourth Princess was killed in her sleep.
The causes of death for all three were too bizarre.
First, regarding the Second Prince's excessive indulgence—as their imperial uncle, he knew these nephews very well.
The Second Prince seemed serious on the surface, but secretly, he had the Passion of the Cut Sleeve.
He had no interest in women at all.
Yet such a person supposedly died in a woman's bed.
It was just too strange.
The Third Prince had been an excellent swimmer since childhood, yet he ended up drowning in a lake.
As for the Fourth Princess, Snow Jade, she was killed in her sleep.
He had once observed the scene carefully in private.
He found that a layer of ink powder had been applied to Snow Jade's neck.
After wiping away the ink powder, deep bruises from strangulation were revealed.
She had clearly been strangled by the neck and died of suffocation.
Yet such a simple method had gone unnoticed.
He later learned that the Coroner who performed the autopsy...
...was one of the Crown Prince's people.
At the same time, the death of Fourth Princess Snow Jade directly deepened Xue Xing's suspicion of Xue Qinghe's identity.
His suspicion hadn't been that strong initially.
After all, getting rid of the Second and Third Princes...
...was nothing more than fearing they might threaten his position.
But what threat could Snow Jade pose?
No matter how muddled Xue Ye became, he would never pass the throne to Snow Jade.
After thinking it over carefully.
A terrifying thought suddenly occurred to him.
This is an attempt to end the royal bloodline!
After all, if the Second Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Princess, and Fourth Prince Xue Beng were all dead...
...then after Xue Ye passed away...
...the throne would inevitably go to Xue Qinghe.
This was beyond doubt.
But what if this Xue Qinghe is an impostor?
All the royal children dead.
Leaving only a fake Xue Qinghe.
Furthermore, this fake Xue Qinghe's influence in the court was growing.
Behind him stood the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the mysterious Xing Family.
Even the three Spirit Douluo Instructors of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy...
...were all biased toward Xue Qinghe.
Once he ascended the throne, no one would be able to shake his position.
Thinking of this.
Xue Xing decided that he must protect Xue Beng at all costs.
Simultaneously, he began a secret investigation into Xue Qinghe.
But no matter how he investigated, the final results proved that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Xue Qinghe.
Yet he always felt something was not quite right.
He hadn't expected that today, Xue Beng would actually find a problem with Xue Qinghe.
Seeing his imperial uncle lose his temper.
Xue Beng quickly bowed his head and admitted his mistake.
After all, this was his only protection right now.
Seeing that Xue Beng's attitude in admitting his mistake was acceptable.
Xue Xing's expression softened slightly as he asked, "Tell me, what did you find?"
Xue Beng hurriedly handed over the evidence he had gathered. "Look, Imperial Uncle. These past few days, I found that Big Brother has been frequently visiting the Spirit Hall branch stationed in the Tiandou Empire."
"So I sent people to follow him in secret."
"As it turns out, Big Brother is in close contact with Bishop Sallos."
"It looks like the two of them have known each other for a long time."
"Furthermore, a few days ago, Big Brother actually handed over a shipment of armaments to Sallos in private."
"And those armaments were the same ones that Father sent people to intercept from the Xing Family."
"It's obvious that Big Brother is secretly supporting Spirit Hall."
Xue Xing looked over the information Xue Beng had gathered.
His mind was racing.
Xue Beng continued, "Imperial Uncle, I think we should inform Father of this information as soon as possible."
"No!" Xue Xing raised his hand in refusal.
Xue Beng was puzzled. "Why? This is solid evidence! If we tell Father, Xue Qinghe will definitely be punished!"
Looking at his disappointing nephew.
At this moment, Xue Xing really wanted to give him a beating.
But he patiently explained, "Although the Crown Prince is in collusion with Spirit Hall, this information doesn't prove there's an issue with his identity."
"As members of the royal family, for the sake of the throne, who among them hasn't colluded with outside forces?"
"So this evidence can only prove, at most, that the Crown Prince is cooperating with Spirit Hall."
"And if you were to tell the Emperor this information..."
"...knowing the Emperor as I do, not only might he not punish the Crown Prince, he might even punish you instead."
"Do you understand?"
Xue Beng was very annoyed at being criticized again.
But on the surface, he still acted respectfully and said, "It was my impulsiveness."
Xue Xing put away the evidence. "Alright, I'll keep these things here. You go back first."
"Yes!"
Xue Beng left resentfully.
Afterward, Xue Xing ordered all the servants who had been in the estate that morning to be killed.
Then, he replaced them with a new group...
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"